Several Manchester City players were involved in international matches yesterday, but one player, in particular, stood out with an impressive performance.
England faced Finland in their latest Nations League clash, hoping to recover from their humiliating defeat to Greece. Manager Lee Carsley made some adjustments to the lineup, and it paid off with a 3-1 victory in Helsinki. While it wasn’t the most thrilling match at times, England secured three valuable points.
One of the standout players was Jack Grealish, who opened the scoring after a clever assist from Angel Gomes. Grealish had missed the previous game against Greece due to injury, but Carsley declared him fit to start against Finland, positioning him on the left wing.
Grealish’s performance caught the eye of fans and pundits alike, with talkSPORT commentators Jason Cundy and Tony Cascarino praising the City star after the match.
After being left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad, Grealish appears to have used that setback as fuel to improve. He scored in a lively performance against the Republic of Ireland last month and followed it up with another goal against Finland—his fourth for the national team.
The goal itself was well-executed, with Gomes threading the ball through a tight space to Grealish, who calmly finished into the far corner.
Grealish’s overall display was solid, though some critics felt he played a bit too safely at times. However, his confidence and ball retention were clear throughout the match. Jason Cundy highlighted his performance on talkSPORT, saying: “Jack Grealish was probably the pick of the bunch.”
Tony Cascarino echoed the praise the following morning, noting: “Grealish, I mean, obviously, Lee Carsley sees him as his man, really feels that he is the player that’s going to play on the left all the time he is manager. Jack’s goal, it was a terrific goal, wasn’t it?”
Lee Carsley also commended Grealish for his contributions, describing him as “outstanding.”
Grealish Needs to Score More for Man City
While Grealish has found success with England recently, he is yet to score for Manchester City in the 2024/25 season. Given his recent form, he should be looking to find the back of the net more frequently for his club.
Historically, Grealish has been known more for his control and ball retention than for racking up goals and assists. However, with City investing £100 million in him, it’s reasonable to expect him to contribute more in terms of scoring.
Here’s a look at Grealish’s stats over the past few seasons:
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 39 | 6 | 4 |
| 2022/23 | 50 | 5 | 11 |
| 2023/24 | 36 | 3 | 3 |
If Grealish can establish himself as more of a goal threat, there’s no doubt he would become an automatic starter for City. Pep Guardiola already values his technical ability and the control he brings to the game, but adding more goals would elevate his impact even further.
With two recent goals for England, Grealish has shown he has the potential to score more, and City fans will be hoping he can bring that form back to the Premier League.
